Electric releasing apparatus for pneumatic-pressure brakes.



' No. 687,297. Patented Nov. 26, I901. A. BRUGGEMANN.

ELECTRIC RELEASINGAPPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC PRESSURE BRAKES. I I (Application filed Aug. 2, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet m: xonms PETERS co PHOm-LITHOU msulusmn. n. c.

No. 687,297. 7 Patented Nov. 26, MIDI.

A. BRUGGEMANN.

ELECTRIC RELEASING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC PRESSURE BRAKES.

(A lication filed Aug; 2, 1900.)

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

NITED S'rnrns PATENT- FFICE.

AUGUST BRI IGGEMANN, OF BRESLAU, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEUTSOHE WAFFEN-UND MUNITIONSFABRIKEN, OF OARLSRUHE IN BADEN, GERMANY.

ELECTRIC R ELEASING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC-PRESSURE BRAKES.

sPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,297, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed August 2, 1900. Serial No. 25,670. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST BRI'JGGEMANN, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, and a residentof Breslau, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Releasing Apparatus for Pneumatic Pressure Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Pneumatic-pressure brake apparatuses as hitherto used have the disadvantage that the brakes fail to work Wholly or'in part should the air-pressure in the train-pipe not be duly maintained or should the air-pipe of a part of the train be shut off from that of the engine by the stop-cocks being partly or entirely closed maliciously or accidentally. The store of braking power of the part of the trainpipe thus separated then gradually decreases without causing the brakes to work, nor can the engine-driver work thebrakes by making use of the drivers valve. I

This invention relates to an electric means of causing pneumatic brakes to be applied, and has for its object to automatically cause the train to stop should the train-pipe be interrupted, asabove'mentioned. The apparatus, which is placed at the rear part of the train, is such that when the air-pressure in the train-pipe decreases to a certain degree a manometer closes the circuit of a battery and causes the armature of an electromagnet to open an air-releasing valve, In the example illustrated avalve on the Ohapsal system, United States Patent No. 555,075, dated February25, 1896, has been chosen, (Revue Industrielle, 1896, page 64; Organ ft'tr die Fortschritte des Eisenbahmuesens, 1896, page 148 but it is to be understood that any other wellknown construction of valves may be employed.

In the accompanying drawlngs,fo1'n1ing part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus. Fig. 2 shows the contacts at the bottom part of the same. Fig. 3 shows the apparatus attached to the last carriage of the train. Figs. 4 and 5 are sections illustrating the action. Fig. 6 shows a diagram of the electric circuit.

The apparatus comprises a battery or or other source of electricity, an electromagnet b,with an armature d, acted on by a spring 0, pin-valves e and f, carried by the armature, and a chamber g, with valve-operating diaphragm h,(or it may be a piston,) and the air-' releasing valve 1, operated thereby. To this is added in the present apparatus a manometer k or a similar device arranged, together with the contact devices 19 r q, inside the battery-casing. The improved apparatus, which is suspended, say, from the buffer-rod of the last carriage of the train, is coupled with the train-pipe of the last carriage by a couplingpipe Z, (see'Fig. 8,) which is connected with the short pipe leading to the chamber below the air-releasing valve t'. When the brakereservoirs are charged, the compressed air from the train-pipe passes through passage m and presses on the pistonn of the manometer k, forcing the piston-rod outward against the pressure of spring 0. Other forms of manometer may be used in connection with passage m.

In the arrangement sho'wn'in Fig. 1 an inclined cam q, of insulating material, attached tothe rod of piston it, pushes aside the springterminal 7" when it moves in the direction of the" arrow. This terminal is carried by a spring 3, attached to an arm 25.

p is a stationary terminal let into the heel end of the insulating-cam q, so that when the piston moves quickly to the position shown in Fig. 4 the terminal r springs back clear of the terminal p without touching it, thus leaving the electric circuit still broken. 7 As long as normal air-pressure is maintainedin the train-pipe the piston 11 remains in the position shown in Fig. 4, the terminals 19 and r remaining still out of contact; As soon as the air-pressure in the train-pipe begins to diminish the piston 01 is forced inward by spring 0 and the terminal 19 approaches r. When terminal 19 encounters terminal r, as in Fig. 5, the circuit of battery or is com pleted through the wires to o and the electromagnet 12, which attracts the armature cl, whereupon the pin-valve e is raised from its seat and admits compressed air from the train-pipe through passage 00 into the space and thence into the diaphragm-chamber g. The diaphragm h is thus caused to open the air-releasing valve '0' and allowing the air to escape from the train-pipe through the apertures t0, the sudden decrease of pressure in the train-pipe effecting a rapid braking of the train. When by the further movement of the piston n, consequent on the fall of pressure in the train-pipe, the terminal 0" is pressed by the insulator q against a pair of stationary inclined cams y, it is forced or squeezed outward, so as to allow the heel end of q to pass to the position shown in Fig. 1. The position of terminalp is such that the engine-driver may decrease the air-pressure in the train-pipe as required during ordinary working without causing the terminals 19 and r to make contact, which is only effected automatically and when the air-pressure in the train-pipe falls below that required for ordinary braking purposes. If it is desired that the train-conductor or a traveler should be enabled to open the discharge-valve T: in case of emergency, it is only necessary to provide means of completing the electric circuit through the wires 7.6 and v, as shown in the diagram, Fig. 6, by means of switch r and contact 19 Having now particularly described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an air-brake system, the combination with the train-pipe, of a manometer and an electrically-operated outlet-valve connected therewith, and means connected to said manometer to close circuit through said Valve to decrease pressure in the train-pipe when said pressure falls below working pressure, thereby operating the brakes, substantially as described.

2. In an air-brake system, the combination with the train-pipe, of a manometer and an electrically-operated valve connected therewith, a suitably-arranged fixed contact and a movable contact operated by said manometer and organized to operate said valve when the circuit is closed through the contacts, thereby venting the train-pipe and causing the brakes to be. applied, substantially as described.

touch, and one or more parallel circuits, each arranged to close circuit through said valve independently, thereby venting the trainpipe and applying the brakes, substantially as described.

4. In an air-brake system, the combination with the train-pipe, of an electrically-operated valve and a spring-controlled manometer connected therewith, a suitably-arranged electrical terminal, and a movable electrical terminal held out of contact with the former by air-pressure and organized to close circuit through said valve by a predetermined decrease of pressure in the train-pipe, thereby venting said trainpipe and applying the brakes, substantially as described.

5. In an air-brake system, the combination with the train-pipe, and an electrically-operated valve connectedtherewith, of a springactuated piston and rod normally held by working air-pressure from the train-pipe, a spring-contact and a contact carried by said piston rod and organized to close circuit through said valve to vent the train-pipe and apply the brakes, substantially as described.

6. In an air-brake system, the combination with the train-pipe and an electrically-operated valve, of a spring-controlled manometer, comprising piston and rod normally held by air-pressure, an electrical contact secured to a wedge-shaped insulating nosepiece on the piston-rod, a pair of guides provided with inclined faces between which said insulated piece is arranged to move, a springheld roller contact held against the inclined faces of said guide, said nosepiece arranged to ride under the roller when moved in one direction and in theother to contact therewith and cause said roller to ride upon the inclined surfaces of the guides past the contact thereon, to close'circuit through the valve, substantially as described.v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST BRUGGEMANN.

Witnesses:

HERMANN BARTSCH, ALBERT SoHENK. 

